


trip for two

by WattStalf



Series: Commissions [20]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, commission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 19:02:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20314465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WattStalf/pseuds/WattStalf
Summary: Dedue promised Byleth a trip after the war, but he decides that they should call it off. Byleth can't accept that so easily.





	trip for two

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Madfalldyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madfalldyn/gifts).

> A commission, basically an S-support between MByleth and Dedue. I haven't read the S support for FByleth,so I have no idea how it goes, and didn't want it to influence how I wrote this

Though the war is over, that only means that Byleth is busy with different things, not that he finally has some free time again. In fact, there are times when he is even more busy, and he has barely had any time to spare for some of his closest friends, as he uses the church to aid Dimitri in the rebuilding of Fodlan. As it is, the person he’d like to see most is also very busy aiding Dimitri, and yet, their paths don’t cross nearly as often as he would like.

He knows that neither of them can help it, but still, he catches himself wondering about their plans, and if they will ever be able to take a trip together, like they had talked about in the height of the war. And, in the back of his mind, he knows that there’s something else he should address with the other man, but he isn’t sure how to go about bringing that up, or if he should to begin with, so he simply ignores it.

Eventually, it is Dedue who makes time for him, asking if they can meet up, and Byleth is quick to rearrange his schedule, so that they can make it work. He has missed his friend, and missed the chances they’ve had to speak, even if they usually don’t do much talking at all. This time, however, Dedue says that they have something that they need to discuss.

“I’m sorry for bothering you,” is the first thing that he says.

“It’s really no bother,” Byleth replies. “What was it that you wanted to talk about? There’s a lot I’d like to get caught up on.”

Nodding, Dedue says, “I checked in on the greenhouse before I came up here. Even with both of us too busy to stop by, the plants look like they’re doing very well.”

“As long as I’m in charge here, I figure I can make sure somebody takes care of the flowers,” he replies. “Though I do miss gardening with you. Before you leave, we should find some time to visit the greenhouse together.”

“I’d like that,” says Dedue, with a hint of a smile. “But that isn’t what I came here to talk about. Do you remember the promise we made?”

“You said you would take me to see a field of flowers. In your homeland,” he replies.

“Yes. I...came to apologize. I don’t think a trip like that can happen now.”

Byleth is confused at his words. “Why not? I’m sure things will calm down eventually. Even if it isn’t right away, in a few months at most, we should be able to take some time off.”

“Perhaps, but we probably shouldn’t,” Dedue says. “You’ll always have things that you should be doing, and I would only get in the way of that.”

“Wait just a minute, Dedue. You don’t need to make one little vacation sound so serious. I think we deserve it, after everything we’ve been through,” he says, not sure what’s brought all of this on. “And even if I were too busy, it would have nothing to do with you getting in the way of anything.”

The other man pauses for a moment. “Even so...I’d be acting selfishly. That’s why I think we should call it off. We both have important things to do, and your place is here while my place…”

“I don’t understand what you mean by ‘acting selfishly.’ You were planning on taking me because  _ I _ was interested, weren’t you? If anyone is being selfish, it’s me.”

“I can see why you would think that.” Dedue looks away, a troubled expression on his face. “If I were only taking you for your own interest, then that might be a different story. In fact, I feel I would have no choice but to take you wherever you wanted,  _ if _ it were only for your own interest. However...that isn’t the case.”

“I’m still not sure I understand what you mean. It’s not only for my interest because we’d be going together, right? What’s wrong with you enjoying yourself?” No matter how he tries, Byleth can’t wrap his head around Dedue’s logic. All he knows is that he desperately wants to take the trip they’ve planned, or do anything with the other man, really. Even just seeing him for a short time after being apart is nice, but from this conversation, he gets the feeling that Dedue would rather not see him at all.

And that is something he not only can’t understand, but also can’t accept.

“If it’s alright with you, I’d...prefer to keep my reasons to myself.”

Ordinarly, Byleth might respect the other man’s privacy, but in a situation like this, he can’t afford to do that. Until he knows why it is that Dedue wants to put distance between them, he can’t attempt to talk him out of it. “It’s not alright with me,” he argues. “Come on, Dedue...how can I just accept that without an explanation?”

Dedue looks troubled for a moment, like he’s contemplating whether or not he can refuse. Of course, he can; Byleth can’t  _ make _ him talk, and would never treat him like a subordinate to be ordered around, but knowing Dedue, that is as good as a direct order. He sighs, looking down before meeting Byleth’s gaze again.

“I don’t think we should continue to spend time together because I don’t want to burden you with my feelings,” he says, and Byleth freezes. His...feelings? There is one incredibly obvious way to interpret that sentence, but could that really be it? Surely Dedue means something else; there’s no way this could all come down to a love confession.

But whatever else it could mean, Byleth doesn’t know. “What do you mean by feelings?” he finally asks, and Dedue frowns.

“Do you really need me to explain it further?” he asks. “Do you really not understand, or are you being cruel?”

“I...might understand, but I’m not sure, and I want to be sure. I’m definitely not trying to be cruel.”

“If you must know...at some point, I fell in love with you. I didn’t realize it until recently, but I think I must have been for a long time. So you can see why I don’t think it’s right for me to try and spend so much time with you.”

“Actually...you’re wrong about that.” Byleth is surprised by how hard it is for him to breathe right now. He never would have expected for Dedue to come meet with him today to cancel their plans, only for it to turn into a confession. But he also never would have expected Dedue to return the feelings that he’s done his best to ignore for quite some time now.

“About what, exactly?”

“A lot of it. For instance, there’s no problem with you spending time with me. In fact, I think it wouldn’t be right to stay away,” he says, glad that he is able to keep his voice steady. His calm facade disguises how nervous he is; years ago, he didn’t even know what it meant to be nervous. “But most importantly, thinking that your feelings are a burden...I’ve wanted to hear that from you for so long.”

“You...Byleth?” He’s caught Dedue off guard.

“I love you,” he replies, and the other man is stunned silent for a moment before finally, he smiles.

“I still feel like I’m in the way,” he admits. “But, whether I am or not, if you still want to go with me to Duscur, then I know I can’t turn you down.”

“I can’t think of anywhere else I would rather go, or anyone else I would rather go with,” Byleth replies, already planning for it. He has something that he wants to give Dedue, but he will wait until their trip, and give it to him in front of the flowers.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're interested in my writing updates, please follow my fanfiction twitter @WattStalf  
I'll follow back so long as you don't post anything hateful!


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